Three More Illini Players Selected In NFL Draft, Colts Take Thornton

Published on April 28 2013 9:30 am
Last Updated on April 28 2013 9:35 am
Written by Wayne Moran

Three more University of Illinois football players are headed to the NFL. The final day of the NFL Draft saw the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select defensive tackle Akeem Spence in the fourth round.

The Pittsburgh Steelers took cornerback Terry Hawthorne with their pick in the fifth round. The New England Patriots took defensive player Michael Buchanan with their seventh round pick. The Illini's four total picks in this year's draft was the most of any Big Ten team.

Former Illinois offensive lineman Hugh Thornton is going to Indianapolis. The Colts took Thornton in the third round of the NFL draft Friday. Thornton will be reunited with former Illini offensive line coach Joe Gilbert, who now coaches the offensive linemen with the Colts. Gilbert was o-line coach at Illinois during Thornton's first three college seasons.